Ara

General

Ara is employee of the Stag and Lion inn, in Baerlon. He is slight and dark-haired. He has a Baerlon accent; it is noted that "he and Master Fitch sound like they had a mouth full of mush".

He serves Rand, Thom, and other male members of their company while they're having a bath in the Stag and Lion. He isn't very talkative at first, and Rand doesn't receive from him any good answers to his questions about Baerlon. He notes that Rand has a funny accent. Only later, when Rand and his companions are bathing, does Ara becomes a bit more talkative.

Ara being afraid to trust them made Rand feel, for the first time, how alone they really were in the world.

Quotes

"Trouble? Miners having fistfights in the streets in the dark of the morning aren't trouble. Or..." He stopped and eyed them a moment. "I meant the Ghealdan kind of trouble," he said finally. "No, I suppose not. Nothing but sheep downcountry, is there? No offense. I just meant it's quiet down there. Still, it's been a strange winter. Strange things in the mountains. I heard the other day there were Trollocs up in Saldaea. But that's the Borderlands then, isn't it?". He finished with his mouth still open, then snapped it shut, appearing surprised that he had said so much. (Ara; The Eye of the World, Chapter 14)